Forever with you

Part 1/2

Late at night, with danger hot on their heels, two men found themselves surrounded by nothing but nature. They ran through the forest in an unknown direction, surrounded by tall trees and silence broken only by heavy footsteps and ragged breaths. They couldn't say where they were or where they were going, but one thing they knew for sure. They had to get as far away as possible.

Fatigue was setting in, but they couldn't stop. They were running for their lives, and any mistake, no matter how small, could cost them their lives. They were terrified, but giving up wasn't an option, not when someone else's life was at stake.

Perth had always been ready to sacrifice himself. He had accepted that from the moment he chose this path, but he couldn't risk Santa's life. It was his duty to protect innocent people, but beyond mere duty, it was also about love.

A love stronger than death and anything else.

His grip tightened on the younger boy's hand as they ran down a path that seemed to be the same one they had been running down a moment earlier. Everything looked the same, and panic set in when they realized they were lost. The only comfort that kept them sane was the presence of the other person beside them.

Suddenly, Perth turned sharply to the right, causing the younger boy to stumble. "Ouch!" He fell to his knees with a loud thud and a broken cry.

Perth immediately stopped in his tracks. "Santa!" He ran back to him and helped him up.

He grabbed his hand, and as they started running again, they heard shouts "Catch them! Quickly!" behind them, followed by heavy footsteps other than their own.

When Perth looked back, he saw what he feared most. They had been found. A group of armed men was running after them, determined to catch them. With every second, they were getting closer, and at this rate, it wouldn't be long before they caught up with them.

Perth knew they couldn't run forever. Santa wasn't used to such strenuous physical exertion and would soon be exhausted. Perth also felt the signs of fatigue in his bones, but the adrenaline gave them the strength they didn't know they had.

They were out of breath, panting heavily, not only from fatigue but also from fear. They couldn't take it anymore. They had to find somewhere to hide or, better yet, get out of the forest onto the main road where they could find help, but the fact that they were lost somewhere in the middle of the forest didn't help. They turned left, hoping no one had noticed them, and that's when they saw an abandoned car on their path.

They sped up towards the vehicle, and when Perth pulled the handle, the door opened. "Hop in, Santa." Perth said, getting behind the wheel. At that moment, they didn't wonder whose car it was or why it was abandoned on the side of the road. They just got in.

Perth took a torch out of his pocket and shone it on the ignition. The engine was off, but luckily, the key was inside.

With trembling hands, Perth turned the key in the ignition, but the car wouldn't start. The engine made a loud, broken sound and died, crushing any little hope they had. He tried again, but the result was the same: nothing happened, and they were running out of time.

"Phi Perth, hurry up." He heard Santa's panicked voice as the car failed to start for the third time. Perth cursed under his breath, glancing through the windscreen.

The group of men was only a few meters away, and one of them was already running towards the car. There was no time to get out and run, so all they could do was pray that the car would finally start.

Perth locked the doors and kept trying to start the engine while the four men surrounded the car. Santa gasped in fear when one of them yanked on the door handle on his side. Although the door did not open, it did not lessen his fear but only intensified it.